1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to aircraft and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for operating an aircraft. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for more accurately identifying aerodynamic angles used to operate the aircraft.
2. Background
In operating an aircraft, a pilot receives information about the state of the aircraft. This information is used to make changes in the flight of the aircraft. For example, one type of information received is an angle of attack. The angle of attack affects the amount of lift that a wing provides the aircraft. For example, as the angle of attack increases, the lift increases up to a maximum lift coefficient. The angle of attack with the maximum lift coefficient is called the stall angle of attack.
If the angle of attack increases too much, the aircraft may stall. The angle at which the aircraft may stall is when the angle of attack is greater than the stall angle of attack. The angle of attack is used to provide information and alerts on the flight deck to improve flight crew awareness of airplane state relative to performance limits.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that take into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as other possible issues. For example, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that overcome a technical problem with identifying aerodynamic angles with a reduced amount of noise as quickly and accurately as desired.